* * * * *
                                        
                            Today was not a good day
                                        
I walked into the Computer Room at Chez Boca to a pair of unpowered computers
and a UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) that was turned off. Okay, perhaps a
brownout of something and the squeal got to Bunny so she did as I instructed
and just turned off the UPS. I went to turn it back on and … nothing. It did
not turn on.

That was not good.

But even though the UPS might not turn on, the “surge protection” side might
still work until I get a replacement. The Apple Mac I have turned on, no
issues. The Linux box, my main development system, did not.

That was even less good.

Okay, perhaps it's too much draw for a nearly dead UPS. Next step, a
replacement UPS from Best Buy [1].

“Yes, can I help you?” 

“Yes, where are the UPSes?” 

“The back wall over there to the left, with the car stuff.” 

Odd, but … “Okay, thanks.” 

Nope, just car stuff over by the back left wall. I corner a clerk and ask
again.

“Where are the UPSes?” 

“The what?” 

“A UPS.” 

“A …?” 

“UPS. You plug the computer into it, then plug that into the wall.” 

“Oh! A battery backup!” 

“Oh, is that what you young hipters are calling UPSes these days?” 

Pricy, but I have a new UPS.

The illustrations didn't indicate that you had to connect the black wire to
the battery before the red wire to the battery, but perhaps I should have
known that prior to learning the hard way with a large pop. Fortunately, no
magic smoke was released, and when I plugged the UPS into the wall outlet, it
seemed to be fine.

I plugged in the Linux box and … it still didn't come on.

XXXXXXXXXX!

I wasn't terribly upset—I do have backups and even if the computer died, the
harddrive could still work on a new machine. It was just the severe
inconvenience of it all.

I then recalled a weird premonition I had last night. The weather forcast for
today was thunderstorms, and I had a notion to shut the computer down “just
in case.” But I thought better of that—after all, the UPS should be good,
right?

Ha ha.

It was then I received the news about Uncle Dale [2].

[1] https://stores.bestbuy.com/fl/boca-raton/20540-state-road-7-554.html
[2] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2021/02/16.2

Email Sean Conner at sean@conman.org

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